Dom's Dugout

May 24, 2009|By DOM AMORE

*Stacked bullpen: Is it possible the Yankees will load their bullpen with arms, using both Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes there down the stretch?

Yes. Though they keep their plans close to the vest, the Yankees have stuck to the principal that pitchers shouldn't exceed their career high in innings pitched by more than 40. That would limit both to about 150 innings in 2009, and both have thrown about 40 already.

So if Hughes and Chamberlain continue to pitch in the rotation, they will have more than 100 innings by midseason. At that point, the Yankees will want their workloads to taper off, and the best way of doing that - without taking their services away from the team - is to put them in the bullpen.

For this plan to work, of course, Chien-Ming Wang would have to return to form and another adequate starter, such as Alfredo Aceves, would have to be identified.

Probably the biggest mistake made with Chamberlain was having him begin 2008 in the bullpen, then putting him in the rotation, where his workload increased later in the season.

In 2007, the Yankees did it the other way around and he was at his best late in the season as a reliever.

*Adjustment time: The Blue Jays sent down prized rookie Travis Snider last week, and if you look at that, along with the struggles of prospects such as Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Clay Buchholz in the majors, it may add up to something.

Moving top prospects up multiple levels in one season is something that should be avoided. Here's a theory:

Often you see players come up to the majors and make a big splash. Then the league adjusts and they struggle. From there begins the career-long process of adjustments and counter adjustments. The successful learn to adjust, the unsuccessful cannot.

It stands to reason that this process should happen at every level.

A top draft pick who starts tearing up Class A, then is moved up to Double A, then Triple A, then the majors, doesn't get the opportunity experience the league adjusting to him and then having to make counter-adjustments. So at the big league level, when this begins to happen, he may be unprepared.

This might be particularly true with Kennedy, who made minor league hitters look silly, but, after three great starts in 2007, could not figure out how to work to more selective major league hitters last season.

Prospects come to the pros more prepared than ever, and probably don't need as much minor league seasoning as past generations, but they need a little more than a month at each level.

*A rising stream: When Jonathan Papelbon gave up starting for closing, he joined a club.

"I always watch the closers," he said Friday. "I root for all closers to do well, because it elevates all of us. It brings more appreciation for what we do."

Papelbon has a warm relationship with Mariano Rivera. With the Mets in town, Papelbon was interested in watching Francisco Rodriguez, who established a record for saves last year, then signed a three-year, $37.5 million contract as a free agent.

"I certainly appreciate what he did last year," Papelbon said. "I like watching different guys, how they handle certain situations, how they go about their business."

Papelbon had his first blown save of the season Saturday night, giving up a two-run homer in the ninth inning to the Mets' Omir Santos with two outs after issuing a leadoff walk to Gary Sheffield. But Papelbon set the bar so high for himself that even having to struggle in and out of some jams earlier in the season had raised red flags among Red Sox fans.

Actually, the Yankees could have saved a half a billion if that were factually correct. Through Friday the Yankees played an equal number of games at home and on the road (21). They hit 42 homers at home, 27 on the road, and given up 40 homers at home, 22 on the road. So evidence that there is something wrong at the new Stadium is mounting.

And if the ball is carrying abnormally well in April and May, it's bound to get worse in June and July, when the ball would start carrying better at the old park.

There were 160 homers hit at the old Stadium in 2008. So with 82 in the first 21 games this season, that total could be surpassed by midseason.

*Sunflower seeds: Bill Masse, who played at East Catholic High in Manchester and now is the hitting coach with the Binghamton Mets, is back home for a visit next weekend. Binghamton is at New Britain. . . . You don't often get the chance to see a possible Hall of Famer up close, so the possibility of John Smoltz pitching at Norwich should create some excitement. . . . Overlooked in today's power-happy game is the importance of little things such as sliding. Dustin Pedroia's slide into second against Toronto Thursday was a thing of beauty. With Aaron Hill sweeping around right to left, Pedroia kept his left hand down and touched the bag with his right, to the outfield side of the bag. Nothing but air for Hill to tag when he swept around. . . . Lots of names are being thrown around for the Mets to acquire for first base, but remember it's unusual for a team to give up a good, veteran player this early in the season. And with their situation, the Mets are likely to get fleeced.